Systems and methods for spraying seeds dispensed from a high-speed planter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11533837-B2
Application number	US-202016823460-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2020
Priority date	Mar 22, 2019
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

A planter system for planting seeds and spraying fluid includes a seeder assembly including a seed tube, a seed meter configured to dispense a seed into the seed tube, and a conveyor apparatus configured to carry the seed through the seed tube. The planter system also includes a sensor configured to transmit a detection signal upon detection of the seed passing a detection location. The planter system also includes a control system configured to determine a travel time of the seed from the detection location to a furrow based on a baseline drop time for the seed, a baseline travel speed of the seeder assembly, and an operating travel speed of the seeder assembly. The control system is configured to transmit a control signal to a valve coupled to a nozzle assembly based on the travel time and the detection signal to spray the fluid on or adjacent the seed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A planter system for planting seeds and spraying a fluid, the planter system comprising:
a seeder assembly including:
a seed tube;
a seed meter configured to dispense a seed into the seed tube; and
a conveyor apparatus configured to carry the seed through the seed tube;

a sensor configured to transmit a detection signal upon detection of the seed passing a detection location;
a nozzle assembly configured to spray the fluid in response to receiving a control signal;
a valve fluidly coupled with the nozzle assembly and configured to control fluid flow therethrough; and
a control system communicatively coupled to the sensor and the valve, wherein the control system is configured to:
determine a travel time of the seed from the detection location to a furrow based on a baseline drop time for the seed, a baseline travel speed of the seeder assembly, and an operating travel speed of the seeder assembly; and
transmit the control signal to the valve based on the travel time and the detection signal to spray the fluid on or adjacent the seed.

2. The planter system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to calculate a quotient of the baseline travel speed and the operating travel speed.

3. The planter system of claim 2 , wherein the control system is further configured to calculate the product of the baseline drop time and the quotient of the baseline travel speed and the operating travel speed to determine the travel time of the seed from the detection location to the furrow.

4. The planter system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor apparatus includes:
a belt extending from a first end of the seed tube to a second end of the seed tube and configured to carry the seed along a length of the seed tube;
a pulley supporting the belt; and
a drive system configured to rotate the pulley.

5. The planter system of claim 4 , wherein the conveyor apparatus includes at least one of a brush and a set of flights supported by the belt and configured to receive the seed.

6. The planter system of claim 5 , wherein the drive system includes a motor communicatively coupled to the control system to receive motor control signals from the control system, wherein the control system is configured to receive signals associated with a travel speed of the planter system from a speed sensor and regulate a rotational speed of the motor to drive the pulley and belt at a speed based on the travel speed of the planter system.

7. The planter system of claim 1 , wherein the planter system includes a plurality of seeder assemblies, wherein the control system is configured to determine a travel speed of each seeder assembly based on a travel speed of the planter system and a location of each seeder assembly relative to a centerline of the planter system.

8. The planter system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is located within or adjacent to the seed tube to detect the seed passing through the seed tube between a first end and a second end of the seed tube.

9. A method for planting seeds and spraying fluid using a planter system including at least one seeder assembly, the method comprising:
dispensing a seed into a seed tube of the seeder assembly;
carrying the seed through the seed tube using a conveyor apparatus;
detecting the seed passing a detection location;
transmitting a detection signal to a control system upon detection of the seed passing the detection location;
determining a travel time of the seed from the detection location to a furrow based on a baseline drop time for the seed, a baseline travel speed of the seeder assembly, and an operating travel speed of the seeder assembly;
transmitting a control signal from the control system to a valve based on the travel time and the detection signal, wherein the valve is fluidly coupled to a nozzle assembly to control fluid flow therethrough; and
actuating the valve upon receiving the control signal such that fluid is sprayed from the nozzle assembly on or adjacent to the seed.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the travel time of the seed from the detection location to the furrow comprises calculating a quotient of the baseline travel speed and the operating travel speed.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the travel time of the seed from the detection location to the furrow further comprises calculating the product of the baseline drop time and the quotient of the baseline travel speed and the operating travel speed.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining the operating travel speed of the seeder assembly based on a detected travel speed of the planter system and a location of the seeder assembly relative to a centerline of the planter system.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein detecting the seed passing through the seed tube comprises detecting the seed passing through the seed tube using a sensor positioned adjacent or within the seed tube between an inlet and an outlet of the seed tube.

14. A planter system for planting seeds and spraying a fluid, the planter system comprising:
a plurality of row units, each row unit including:
a seed tube;
a seed meter configured to dispense a seed into the seed tube;
a conveyor apparatus configured to carry the seed through the seed tube; and
a sensor configured to transmit a detection signal upon detection of the seed passing a detection location; and

a control system communicatively coupled to the sensor of each row unit to receive the detection signal from the sensor of each row unit, wherein the control system is configured to determine, for each seeder assembly, a travel time of the seed from the detection location to a furrow based on a baseline drop time for the seed, a baseline travel speed of the seeder assembly, and an operating travel speed of the seeder assembly, wherein the operating travel speed of each seeder assembly is determined based on a location of the seeder assembly relative to a centerline of the planter system and a detected travel speed of the planter system.

15. The planter system of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to calculate a quotient of the baseline travel speed and the operating travel speed.

16. The planter system of claim 15 , wherein the control system is further configured to calculate the product of the baseline drop time and the quotient of the baseline travel speed and the operating travel speed to determine the travel time of the seed from the detection location to the furrow.

17. The planter system of claim 14 , wherein the conveyor apparatus of each row unit includes:
a belt extending from a first end of the seed tube to a second end of the seed tube and configured to carry the seed along a length of the seed tube;
a pulley supporting the belt; and
a drive system configured to rotate the pulley.

18. The planter system of claim 17 , wherein the conveyor apparatus of each row unit includes at least one of a brush and a set of flights supported by the belt and configured to receive the seed.

19. The planter system of claim 17 , wherein the drive system of each conveyor apparatus includes a motor communicatively coupled to the control system to receive motor control signals from the control system, wherein the control system is configured to receive signals associated with a travel speed of the planter system from a speed sensor and regulate a rotational speed of the motor to drive the pulley and belt at a speed based on the travel speed of the planter system.

20. The planter system of claim

Assignees

• Capstan Ag Systems Inc

Inventors

• Madison Adam
• Moeder Anthony

Classifications

• A01C7/105

  Seed sensors · CPC title

• A01C7/206

  Seed pipes · CPC title

• A01C23/047

  Spraying of liquid fertilisers · CPC title

• A01C7/20

  Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed · CPC title

• A01C7/06 Primary

  Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus · CPC title